Amid a controversy between the Haryana Chief Minister's Office and Home Minister Anil Vij over who controls the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has been given charge of it.
In a late Wednesday night development, the government issued orders allocating the CID, among other departments, to the Chief Minister. Mr. Vij will now cease to hold the CID portfolio.
Reacting to the decision, Mr. Vij said on Thursday that he had always maintained that the Chief Minister is supreme and he can take away or divide any department.
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An official statement said the Governor, on the advice of the Chief Minister, allocated some new portfolios to the Chief Minister and to two Ministers.
“As per a notification issued by the Chief Secretary, the portfolios of the CID, and the departments of Personnel and Training and of Raj Bhawan Affairs have been allocated to the Chief Minister, in addition to his existing portfolios, with immediate effect,” said the statement.
The Elections portfolio has been allocated to Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma, while Art and Cultural Affairs, hitherto with Mr. Sharma, has now been given to Education Minister Kanwar Pal, in addition to their existing portfolios.
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Mr. Vij had pointed fingers at the functioning of the CID and sought an explanation from a senior officer for not responding to his queries. He had also sought the replacement of CID chief Anil Rao, who is an ADGP-rank officer.